Think Different: “Category-Killer Innovation” Concepts Applied To Mogul Ski Lessons

Apple’s Innovation Process

Apple’s user centric, category-killer product innovation derives from using the following process:

First, identify your target market …

Second, clearly understand the problems, desires and needs of your target market …

Then, design new products, or services, to meet those needs in a better way using new and progressive ways of thinking – rather than by using a more traditional “we’ve always done it that way” approach.

BUMPS FOR BOOMERS Innovation Process

Here is how The BUMPS FOR BOOMERS ski lesson program was designed using Apple “category-killer innovation” concepts.

Target Market: BUMPS FOR BOOMERS target market is Baby Boomer skiers and senior skiers who are passionate about their sport.

Skiing Needs: Our market research discovered (and these findings will likely resonate with you) that:

the primary skiing goal of Boomers is skiing longevity – to Ski For Life™
Boomers were frustrated at being stuck in the “intermediate rut” on over-crowded groomed runs.
the single largest goal of Boomers is to avoid injury.
Boomers were considering retiring from skiing because it was becoming too tough on their body.
the ability to ski moguls and powder has been a life-long dream.
time was at a premium because the clock seems to spin faster the older you get.

Skiing Innovation

The BUMPS FOR BOOMERS challenge was to “Think Different.” – think outside the box – and to engineer a ski instruction program – from the ground up – that both delivered essential new skills for skiing longevity and enabled Boomers to ski the entire mountain. And, a design requirement that we imposed was to use a teaching process that insured each customer would achieve a significant personal breakthrough in just 4 days or less.

Rather than a traditional “one size fits all” ski instruction method BUMPS FOR BOOMERS came up with an innovative approach uniquely tuned to Boomer needs. As a result, we:

(1) emphasize good balance and control, rather than fast skiing

(2) introduce mogul techniques that do not require fast reflexes and which are easy on your knees and back.

(3) incorporate skiboard (short 95cm skis) training to eliminate terrain anxiety and accelerate learning

(4) “crack the code” for how to confidently and safely ski off over-crowded groomed runs.

Continue reading to learn more about:
“Make Complexity Simple” Concepts Applied to Ski Instruction